Fourths to adolph roth



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 0. H. WATERMAN. EXTENSION LADDER.

No. 592,182. Patented Oct. 19,1897.

WITNESSES: //vv/v 0/?- W V ATTORNEYS.

TH! NQRBE PETERS co. PHOTO-UYHQ. WASNINGYON. I:v c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

0. H. WATERMAN. EXTENSION LADDER.

No. 592,182. Patented 001. 19,1897.

WITNESSES: V5

A TTOHNE Y8.

NITBED STATES FOURTHS TO ADOLPH SAME PLACE.

ROTH, JOHN BRIN ING, AND JAMES N. STROHM, OF

EXTENSION-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No 592,182 datedOotober 19, 1897.

Application filed A 151 10, 1897. sm th. 631,540. a, model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. WATERMAN, of Dayton, in the county of Columbia and State of Washington, have invented a new and. Improved Extension-Ladder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention is an extension-ladder of that class in which the ladder proper is mounted on a truck and operated by winding and adjusting devices alsocarried on the truck.

This specification is a disclosure of one form of my invention, while the claims define the actual scope of the conception.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying.

drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar characters of reference indi cate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the invention with the ladder extended. Fig.2 is 'a vertical section through the ladder with the parts as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isadetail section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. vation of the invention folded. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevation; Fig. 6 is a detail of parts to be hereinafter described, and Fig. 7 is a detail view'showing the means for ad'- j usting the inclination of the ladder.

The truck is a structure composed of two parallel an gle-plates 10, mounted on front'and rear bolsters 11, in turn supported by the axles 12. rear portions thereof is a transverse drum 13, over which endless flexible connections 14 pass. The flexible connections 14 runforward, respectively, over idler-pulleys 15. The pulleys 15 are mounted on stub-shafts held, respectively, by the plates 10; and the pulleys are respectively located snugly against the plates 10 for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. The left-hand trunnion of the drum 13 carries a ratchet-wheel 16, (see Fig. 6,) engaged by a foot-pawl 17, whereby the drum 13 may be held in any position in which it is put. A sprocket-wheel 18 is fixed on the right-hand trunnion of the drum l3 and carries a chain 19, running upward and forward over a sprocket 20, fixed on a shaft 21, journaled in standards 22, respectively rising from the vertical portions of the angle-plates Fig. 4.is a side e1e sectioni27. Mounted in the plates 10 at the.

10.- The shaft 21 has 'handcranks 23 by which the shaft maybe operated. The chain 19 transmits movement to the drum 13. I The inner face of each plate 10 has a horizontal groove 24. In these grooves 24 the antifriction-rollers 25 of the transverse shaft 26 re spectively run. Pivoted on the shaft 26 are the lower ends of the main section 27 of the extension-ladder. The flexible connections 14 are attached to the shaft 26. As the flexible connections are'wound over the drum 13 and pulleys l5'the shaft 26 is shifted forward and rearward in the grooves 24, which adjusts the inclination of-theladder, as will more fully appear hereinafter. A platform 28 slides with the main section 27 of the lad- -der as such connection is adjusted. This platform has its frontportion connected to the shaft 26 and has rollers 29 respectively running in the grooves 24, whereby to support the rear of the platform. This construction is best sho wn'in Fig. 7. t

. The section 27. ofthe extension-ladder carries a section 30, having flexible connections 31 attached thereto and run over an idlerpulley at the top of the section 27. Sliding on the section 30 is asection 32 of the ladder,

which has flexible connections 33 attached to it and run over an idler-pulley at the top of the section 30'and attached to the top of the The section 32 in turn carries a section 34, extend'edby the action of flexible connections 35, attached to the lower portion of the section 34, run over an idler-pulley at the topof the section 32 and attached to the top ofthe section 30. The sections of the ladder slide or telescope into each other, so that the ladder may be readily adjusted to any length within the two extremes. The standards 22 are braced by struts 36, running forward, respectively, to the side plates 10. Pivoted, respectively, to the standards 22 are links 37, which are also pivoted, respectively, 7

31 are wound. By the operation of this drum the flexible connections 31 are drawn in and out, which operation serves to extend or 0011- tract the ladder, as will be understood. Fixed to the drum 38 is a spur-gear 30, engaged by a pinion l0, loose on the shaft 21. The pinion 40 is provided with a clutch-face coactin g with a clutch-collar -11, splined on the shaft 21. The sprocket-wheel 20 is also loose on the shaft 21 and has acluteh-face coacting with a clutch member T2. The clutch members 41 t2 are operated in unison to alternately engage their respective clutch-faces by a U- shaped bar t3, sliding in bearings -14, held by the right-hand standard 22. The bar 43 is actuated by a shifting lever 45, fulcrumed below the bar and having slotted connection therewith. \Vhen the parts are arranged as shown in the drawings, revolution of the shaft 21 will transmit movement to the connections 31 and extend the ladder. lVhen this extension has been eifected, the lever 45 should be shifted, which disengages the clutch member 41 and its appropriate clutch-face and throws the clutch member 4.2 into engagement with the sprocket-wheel 20. Movement is now transmitted to the drum 13, by which the inclination of theladdcr may be adjusted. The drum 38 is removably held from retrograde movement by a ratchet-wheel 4L6, engaged by a gravity-pawl carried 011 the right-hand standard 22. The ladder is particularly adapted for use at fires and may be provided with a water-hose 48, wound over a drum 7L7, carried between the struts 36.

The apparatus is normally kept in the folded position shown in Fig. it. In this position the ladder is located between the idler-pulleys 15. \Vhen it is desired to operatively adjust the parts, the lever 45 is thrown so that movement may be transmitted to the drum 13, whereupon the ladder then folded will be swung to a vertical position. The lever 45 should now be returned so that the ladder may be extended by the action of the drum 3S and the flexible connections associated therewith. \Vhen this has been accomplished, should a certain nicety of inclination be desired for the ladder, the lever may be again thrown to engage the clutch member 42 with the sprocket-wheel 20, whereupon the drum 13 may be turned to adjust the ladder.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination with a truck, of a pivoted extension-ladder slidable on the truck, a fl(XiblO connection attached to the ladder, a

drum to which the flexible connection is attached whereby to swing the ladder on the truck, a flexible connection coacting with the ladder to extend the same, a drum over which the second flexible connection is wound, a drive-shaft geared with the two drums, and clutch mechanism for alternately throwing said gearings in and out of mesh.

2. The combination with a truck, of a pivoted extension-ladder carried thereon, means for swinging the ladder, means for extending the ladder, a drive-shaft, gearing connecting the drive-shaft with the two aforesaid means, and clutch mechanism alternately throwing said gearing in and out of mesh.

3. The combination of a drive-shaft, a pinion loose thereon, a gear meshed with the pinion, a clutch member sliding on the drive-shaft and capable of engaging the pinion to fix the same to the drive-shaft, a sprocket-wheel loose on the drive shaft, a second clutch member slidable to engage the sprocket-wheel and fix the same on the drive-shaft, a chain passing over the sprocket-wheel, a U -shaped bar the ends of which are respectively attached to the clutch members to slide the same in unison, and a lever pivoted to the U shaped bar.

4. The combination with a truck, of an extension-ladder, an endless flexible connection mounted on the truck and attached to the extension-ladder, a link pivotally connecting the extension-ladder with the truck, a flexible connection attached to the extension-ladder to extend the same, two gearings respectively for driving the flexible connections, a driveshaft, and a clutch alternately throwing the two gearings in and out of connection with the drive-shaft.

5. The combination with a truck, of two standards mounted thereon, a drive-shaft carried in the standards, two pairs of clutch members mounted on the drive shaft, a U shaped lever in connection with said pairs of clutch members; a U-shaped shaft in connection with said clutch members, a handlever attached to the shaft whereby to communicate movement thereto, an extensionladder mounted to swing on the truck, and two means, one of said means being fol-swinging the ladder and the second of said means being for extending the same, such means being respectively controlled by the said pairs of clutch members.

CHARLES H. \VATERMAN.

Witnesses:

D. C. GUERNSEY, F. W. Gunnxsnv. 

